The best Mac cleaner apps
By Vishva Variya · Updated
Short answer
CleanMyMac ($39.99/year or $89.99 once) is the broadest suite, with malware detection. MacKeeper adds antivirus and a VPN, by subscription only. Sensei ($29/year or $59 once) pairs cleanup with monitoring, and BuhoCleaner is the one-click option. For free, OnyX cleans caches and Mole cleans from Terminal. Peekaboo explains each cache, finds duplicates and lets you undo every cleanup, paid once. macOS also frees purgeable space on its own.
How we picked. Prices, macOS requirements and features from each vendor’s own site, GitHub page or App Store listing, checked November 3, 2026. CCleaner’s pricing page couldn’t be opened, so only its features (from CCleaner’s support site) are listed. We looked at what each cleans and whether a cleanup can be undone. For apps that replace one part of CleanMyMac, see our CleanMyMac alternatives list. Peekaboo is our app; it’s listed with its gaps, like the others.
Before you buy anything: Storage settings (built in)
System Settings › General › Storage shows usage by category, suggests emptying the Trash automatically and optimising storage, and lists large files and apps by size. macOS also clears caches and local snapshots on its own when space runs low. It doesn’t explain individual caches, find duplicates or catch app leftovers, and its Delete button skips the Trash.
At a glance
| App | Best for | Price | Requires |
|---|---|---|---|
| CleanMyMac | Best for: The broadest suite, with malware detection | Price: $39.99/year, $9.99/month or $89.99 one-time (Mac App Store) | Requires: macOS 11 or later |
| Peekaboo | Best for: Cleanup you can see and undo, paid once | Price: $24.99 one-time (launch price $9.99 until Nov 13) | Requires: macOS 14 Sonoma |
| Sensei | Best for: Cleanup and monitoring together | Price: $29/year, or $59 one-time (up to 3 Macs) | Requires: macOS 14 or later |
| MacKeeper | Best for: Antivirus, VPN and cleanup on one subscription | Price: From $10.95/month or $71.40/year (subscription only) | Requires: macOS 10.15 or later |
| BuhoCleaner | Best for: One-click junk cleanup | Price: Shown at $17.99/year or $25.99 lifetime, beside higher list prices | Requires: Not stated |
| OnyX | Best for: Free cache cleaning and maintenance | Price: Free (donations welcome) | Requires: A matching version per macOS release; OnyX 5.1.1 for macOS 27 needs Apple silicon or later |
| Mole | Best for: A free, open-source cleaner for Terminal | Price: Free CLI (GPL-3.0); Mole for Mac $19 one-time for 2 Macs | Requires: macOS 12 (CLI); macOS 14 (app) or later |
| CCleaner for Mac | Best for: A free tier with duplicates and an uninstaller | Price: Not listed on vendor site | Requires: Not stated |
CleanMyMac: The broadest suite, with malware detection
All-in-one maintenance suite: system junk, malware, uninstaller, updater.
- System junk and cache cleanup
- Malware detection
- Uninstaller with leftovers, app updater
- Similar photos, large and old files
Gaps: Most of its plans are subscriptions ($9.99 a month or $39.99 a year on the App Store), with an $89.99 one-time purchase as the alternative.
$39.99/year, $9.99/month or $89.99 one-time (Mac App Store) · macOS 11 or later · source: macpaw.com/cleanmymac and its Mac App Store listing, verified 2026-11-02
Peekaboo: Cleanup you can see and undo, paid once
Clean Up groups duplicates, forgotten downloads, old installers, old screenshots, big old videos and unused apps. App Caches explains each cache before it moves, the App Uninstaller removes apps with their leftovers, and every cleanup goes to the Trash with one-click undo.
- Each cache explained, side effects marked Check First
- Exact and look-alike duplicates
- App Uninstaller, including leftovers of deleted apps
- Undo Cleanup puts every file back
Gaps: No malware scan, no system maintenance scripts, no browser privacy cleaning.
$24.99 one-time (launch price $9.99 until Nov 13) · macOS 14 Sonoma
Sensei: Cleanup and monitoring together
Cleaner and monitor in one: uninstaller, junk and cache cleanup, live CPU, GPU, battery and storage, disk benchmark.
- Uninstaller that removes leftovers
- System junk, old caches and large files
- Live CPU, GPU, battery health and storage
- Disk benchmark and SSD Trim
Gaps: The one-time licence covers versions 1 and 2 only, and a duplicate finder or a visual disk map isn’t on its feature list.
$29/year, or $59 one-time (up to 3 Macs) · macOS 14 or later · source: cindori.com/sensei, cindori.com/store/sensei and Cindori’s support pages, verified 2026-11-03
MacKeeper: Antivirus, VPN and cleanup on one subscription
Security and cleanup suite: antivirus, VPN and ad blocking alongside junk cleanup, duplicates and an uninstaller.
- Malware scan and real-time antivirus
- VPN and ad blocking
- Junk cleanup, duplicates and uninstaller
- Memory cleaner
Gaps: Sold only as an auto-renewing subscription; there’s no one-time licence.
From $10.95/month or $71.40/year (subscription only) · macOS 10.15 or later · source: mackeeper.com and mackeeper.com/pricing, verified 2026-11-03
BuhoCleaner: One-click junk cleanup
One-click junk cleanup, uninstaller, disk analyzer and a menu bar system monitor.
- Flash Clean for junk in one click
- Uninstaller with leftovers
- Disk Space Analyzer
- Menu bar monitor: RAM, disk, CPU, fan, network
Gaps: Its site doesn’t publish a minimum macOS version, and a way to undo a cleanup isn’t described.
Shown at $17.99/year or $25.99 lifetime, beside higher list prices · Not stated · source: drbuho.com/buhocleaner and its buy page, verified 2026-11-03
OnyX: Free cache cleaning and maintenance
Free maintenance utility: cache and log cleaning, system checks, index rebuilds and hidden settings.
- Verifies the system file structure
- Cleans caches and runs maintenance tasks
- Rebuilds databases and indexes
- Exposes hidden Finder, Dock and Safari settings
Gaps: Each major macOS release needs its own OnyX version, and the one for macOS 27 runs only on Apple silicon Macs.
Free (donations welcome) · A matching version per macOS release; OnyX 5.1.1 for macOS 27 needs Apple silicon or later · source: titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html, verified 2026-11-02
Mole: A free, open-source cleaner for Terminal
Open-source Terminal cleaner (clean, uninstall, analyze, status, purge), with a separate $19 Mac app.
- Free, open-source CLI
- Cleans caches, logs and build folders like node_modules
- Disk analyzer and system status
- Dry-run mode before cleaning
Gaps: The free version is a Terminal tool, and its clean and purge commands delete permanently rather than to the Trash.
Free CLI (GPL-3.0); Mole for Mac $19 one-time for 2 Macs · macOS 12 (CLI); macOS 14 (app) or later · source: github.com/tw93/Mole (README) and mole.fit, verified 2026-11-03
CCleaner for Mac: A free tier with duplicates and an uninstaller
Piriform’s cleaner for Mac: junk and browser data, duplicates, large files, uninstaller and startup items.
- Junk and browser data cleanup
- Duplicate and large file finder in the free version
- Uninstaller and startup items
Not listed on vendor site · Not stated · source: support.ccleaner.com (feature article), verified 2026-11-03; price page unreachable
Questions
Do I need a Mac cleaner app?
- Not always. macOS clears caches and snapshots itself when space runs low. A cleaner helps when you want to see what’s using space, find duplicates or remove what deleted apps left behind.
Are Mac cleaner apps safe?
- The ones that show you what they’ll remove and send it to the Trash are. Be wary of anything that deletes permanently without a preview, or that frightens you into buying. Peekaboo’s undo and Mole’s dry-run mode are two ways to check first.
What is the best free Mac cleaner?
- OnyX for caches and maintenance, Mole if you’re happy in Terminal, and CCleaner’s free version, which includes a duplicate finder and uninstaller per its support site. AppCleaner is a free uninstaller.
Which Mac cleaners are one-time purchases?
- Sensei ($59, versions 1 and 2), CleanMyMac ($89.99 on the App Store), BuhoCleaner (lifetime licence), Mole for Mac ($19 for 2 Macs) and Peekaboo. MacKeeper is subscription only.